Aoibh vs Rua
Aoibh and Ruacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Aoibh was ranked #189 and Rua #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Aoibh was ranked #192 and Rua #192 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Aoibh was ranked #5581 and Rua #4634 among girls in England and Wales.
Aoibh and Rua over time
Aoibh and Rua appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Aoibh held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Rua in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Aoibh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Rua in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
List by list
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2010–2024
Aoibh held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Rua in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aoibh #135 in 2023, Rua #192 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aoibh #192, Rua #192.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Aoibh | Rua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #189 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Aoibh and Rua both have 1 syllable.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Aoibh
Popularity journey
First recorded1998
First recorded at #425 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2000–2024
Highest recorded position: #135 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 2000–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Rua
Popularity journey
First recorded2008
First recorded at #698 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 2008 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2010–2024
Highest recorded position: #192 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2010–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls